(This opinion is reproduced with permission from the author and courtesy of The Huffington Post.)Earlier today a bill was signed into law in Indiana that will allow business owners to deny services to LGBT people based on religious objections. This comes on the heels of legislation enacted in Arkansas last month that prohibits local communities from implementing non-discrimination policies for LGBT people. Lawmakers in my home state of West Virginia went so far as to block a popular taxi service from doing business in the state because of opposition to a non-discrimination clause, presu … [Read More...]

Dear Media and News Editors:This is a prayer. I pray that when the media reports on politicians, and in particular, those running for President of the United States, that not all Christians are conservatives. Please don’t allow lazy stereotypes and tropes be used to assume there is one acceptable brand of faith.Yesterday, as Texas GOP junior Senator Ted Cruz announced at Liberty University he was running for the Republican nomination to be President of the United States, I listened hard, as I heard him say, “I believe God isn’t done with America yet.”I cringed.I will admit it’s … [Read More...]

Tasteless, Tactless, or Treasonous? The 47 Senators and Talladega Nights Despite whatever feelings there may be regarding negotiations with Iran, it’s clear that from a strategic perspective, the letter 47 Republican senators sent to Iran was miscalculated. I believe the letter was a lot more than miscalculated though—it was a telling representation of where these senator’s hearts are.These senators were willing to risk our nation’s credibility in foreign policy affairs in the so-called na … [Read More...]

That's what it took.Armed with prayer and nonviolence, six hundred women and men walked east toward the state capitol in Montgomery. As they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they would encounter a phalanx of state troopers wielding billy clubs and tear gas. And as the video above shows, they did not turn back.Sun. March 8, marks the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," the day a peaceful display of freedom of speech ended with violence by Alabama state troopers. Their offense was a … [Read More...]

As Philadelphia prepares for the Pope’s visit and the World Meeting of Families, one would expect to see a program aimed at addressing the Church’s plan to be more pastoral toward gay, lesbian, and transgender people. In a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article, the only mention of such efforts to be expected during the World Meeting of Families was about a celibate man who is gay. That’s it. Not exactly a wide-ranging discussion on the contours of modern life and the family. By June of this year, … [Read More...]

Benjamin Netanyahu said a lot in his speech before Congress today--much of which was reminiscent of his call for America to go to war against Iraq over a decade ago.But this line stood out to me, not as much for what Netanyahu said but for how Republican Members of Congress responded:“At a time when many hope Iran will join the community of nations, Iran is busy gobbling up the nations.” [Applause]You read that right. Republicans in Congress clapped after that line. It's worth watchi … [Read More...]

Climate change is a significant moral issue according to the recent survey conducted by Reuters/IPSOS, where nearly 3 out of every 4 persons surveyed said he or she is "personally morally obligated" to control carbon dioxide emissions. World leaders also should also be more morally obligated to take action to protect the planet, 66% of the respondents said.Reporter Bruce Wallace released the news last week, and interviewed American Values Network Executive Director Eric Sapp about the survey … [Read More...]

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."This is the first amendment.It protects, among other things, Americans’ right to religious liberty; and it is one of the bedrocks of our nation.At its core, religious liberty is a liberal, democratic value. But as o … [Read More...]

A panel discussion this past weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) offered a stark assessment of the state of religious freedom in the U.S., providing a rallying cry for conservatives as the race for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination begins.Entitled “Would the Pilgrims Still be Welcome Here?” the panel tackled topics ranging from the assault on religious values levied by teaching evolution in the classroom, to persecution as a “badge of honor” for American C … [Read More...]

As of Friday night at 8:00 p.m., 96 ordained clergy in the state of Georgia and surrounding regions have signed a petition, pleading to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to spare the life of Kelly Gissendaner— an inmate on death row, scheduled to be executed Monday, March 2nd, 2015. Gissendaner was denied clemency last Tuesday, and the response from many has been outrage and sadness.The petition was created by Atlanta-area clergy, seminarians, and professors—including many affiliated with Emory Un … [Read More...]

About Faithful Democrats

Faithful Democrats believes that Democrats are stronger when we speak from our values and Christianity is stronger when we embrace the full Gospel. Our goal is less to provide a response to the Religious Right than to express a Christian whole with humility, authenticity, and a belief that Jesus’ teachings are still relevant to our world and politics.